Display stand and method

ABSTRACT

A display stand is provided that comprises at least one video device, and which is dimensioned to hold at least one container of product such that the product is viewable by a consumer. The video device is designed to visually and aurally attract consumers to the display stand and generate interest in purchasing the displayed products.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 60/809,950, filed May 31, 2006 and entitled “DISPLAY STAND ANDMETHOD”.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of display stands for consumerproducts, and particularly to a display stand comprising at least onevideo device.

BACKGROUND

Traditionally, retail stores employ display stands to exhibit goods, sothat a customer can view and purchase certain products. The presentationof the goods can have an impact on the sales volume. For example,display stands which are positioned at the ends of grocery store productaisles, or which are placed in the vicinity of check-out lanes, are morevisible to a consumer and thus produce a higher sales volume. Displaystands which show colorful or attractive packagings, or which have avariety of related goods, can also pique the consumers' interest andgenerate a higher sales volume for the displayed goods. Thus, it haslong been an axiom of the retail industry that creating visibility forproduct, followed by creating interest for the product, is the key tosuccessful sales.

Retailers may also place posters or other print advertising, or evenvideo monitors, in the store window to create interest in certainproducts. Such window displays entice customers to enter the store,where the retailer then relies on traditional display means to inducethem to purchase certain goods.

Recently, retailers are offering in-store attractions to enticecustomers to enter the establishment. For example, stores or restaurantscan employ live performers, contain play areas for children, providevideo games or arcades, or offer other amusements. Customers are drawninto the store by these amusements, and are then induced to purchasecertain products. Retailers may also offer services related to the goodswhich are sold; for example, a pet store may offer dog groomingservices. Customers will be attracted to the pet store for the groomingservice, and will likely also purchase pet-related goods while in thestore. However, as with the window displays discussed above, theretailer relies on traditional display means to induce customers topurchase goods once they have entered the store.

In an effort to increase the visibility of products, some retailersemploy display stands with large “frontage” areas for displaying goods.Such stands are typically dimensioned to be long and shallow, so thatthe consumer can view most or all of the goods on a given shelf.However, the size and shape of such stands can make them difficult touse in terms of in-store placement, or in terms of efficiently replacinggoods which may have been sold out.

What is needed, therefore, is a display stand which simultaneouslycreates visibility for a product and creates interest for the consumerin the product. Desirably, the display stand will have dimensions allowfor efficient in-store placement and replacement of sold-out goods, andwill induce consumers to purchase a higher volume of displayed productsthat traditional stands.

SUMMARY

This invention provides a display stand comprising at least one videodevice, which is dimensioned to hold at least one container of product,such that the product is viewable by a consumer.

The invention further provides a method of marketing products,comprising providing a display stand of the invention and stocking thedisplay stand with a plurality of related products, and exhibiting videocontent on the video device. The exhibited video content is also relatedto the products, and is designed to visually and aurally attractconsumers to the display stand and generate interest in purchasing thedisplayed products.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

For the purpose of illustration, there are shown in the drawings formswhich are exemplary; it being understood, that this invention is notlimited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary display stand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The display stand comprises at least one video device which ispositioned on the stand so that it can be viewed by a consumer inproximity of the stand. The stand further comprises a frame comprisingat least one support unit, such as shelving or brackets, for holding atleast one container of product to be displayed. The at least one supportunit is attached to portions of the display stand as is known in theart. For example, shelving or brackets can be attached to posts orpanels which form the back of the display stand, and extend towards thefront of the stand. In one aspect, the support units are positioned inthe display stand at a slight downward angle from the back to the frontof the stand, so that a product container placed on the support can bemore readily viewed by a consumer.

An exemplary display stand 100 is shown in FIG. 1. The stand comprises arectangular bottom portion 110 constructed from front and backsubstantially parallel elongated beams 110′ connected by right and leftside elongated beams 110″. Beams 110″ are substantially parallel to eachother but substantially perpendicular to front and back beams 110′, andare shorter than beams 110′. Beams 110′ and 110″ can be tubular,rectangular, square, L-shaped, or any suitable shape which conveyssufficient structural strength to the display stand. Bottom portion 110may be of unitary construction, or can comprise multiple pieces. Ifbottom portion 110 comprises multiple pieces, then the pieces can befastened together by any suitable means, for example by screws, bolts,rivets, clamps, friction fits, welds and the like.

Bottom portion 110 may optionally have a caster 115 fastened (eitherpermanently or removably) to each corner or other devices by which thedisplay stand can be readily moved. The casters or other device arepositioned such that they contact the floor and support the displaystand.

Right and left back posts 125 are connected to bottom portion 110 andextend upwardly and substantially perpendicular to the bottom portion.The top of back posts 125 are connected to a top portion 130, whichcomprises right and left side beams 135 and back beam 140. Beams 135 and140 can be tubular, rectangular, square, L-shaped, or any suitable shapewhich conveys sufficient structural strength to the display stand. Aswith the bottom portion, top portion 130 may be of unitary construction,or can comprise multiple pieces fastened together as discussed above.

A plurality of support units 145 are attached to back posts 125. Forexample, the display stand can contain one, two, three, four, five,eight, ten, twenty, twenty-five or more support units. The support unitscomprise right portion 150′ and left side portion 150″, which areattached by their back ends to the back posts and extend outward towardsthe front of the stand at a slight downward angle A. The right and leftside portions 150′ and 150″ are flat and elongated, and have a slightupwardly extending flange 155 on the front end. Thin, elongated beams160 extend between right portion 150′ and left side portion 150″ andform a bottom frame for each support unit 145. A product container (notshown) can be set onto and held by this bottom frame and side portions150′ and 150″. Another thin, elongated beam 165 extends between rightportion 150′ and left side portion 150″ at the level of flange 155, andacts as a stop to keep product containers from sliding forward out ofthe stand. The thin, elongated beams 160 and 165 can be tubular, flat,rectangular, L-shaped, or any other suitable shape. The support units145 can extend to the front edge of the stand (defined in FIG. 1 byfront beam 110′), can extend past the front edge of the stand, or (asillustrated in FIG. 1), can extend only part of the way to the frontedge of the stand.

Top portion 130 supports casing 170, which houses at least one videodevice 175 comprising screen 180. The casing 170 also houses anyelectronics necessary for the operation of video device 175, asdescribed in more detail below. It is understood that the display standcan comprise a video device supported by the top portion without acasing. In the aspect illustrated by FIG. 1, the video device 175 ispositioned above the plurality of support units 145, and is facingforward so that a consumer can view both the video device and thecontainers of displayed product simultaneously. One or more access ports(not shown) may also be present in casing 170 so that the video device175 can be reached, for example to repair the device or change the videocontent.

It is understood that the one or more video devices comprising thedisplay stand can be positioned anywhere on the stand; for exampleabove, below or in between the support units, or any combinationthereof. Multiple video devices can be positioned to be viewed fromvirtually any angle (e.g., front, back, side or sides) as is convenient.The video device(s) can also be positionable, so that they can be movedto a suitable position and angle depending on the configuration of thedisplay stand and the environment surrounding the stand in a givenretail establishment.

The one or more video devices comprising the display stand can be anysuitable video display and playback unit (including speakers or otherdevice for producing sound) which is commercially available, such as avideo monitor operably connected to a video tape machine (e.g., a videocassette recorder or video cassette player which can record and/or playvideo tapes such as VHS or Beta tapes), digital video disc (DVD)player/recorder, laser disc player/recorder and the like. The videodevice can also comprise a broadcast, cable or satellite televisionsignal receiver, which can receive and play suitable video signals. Thevideo device can also comprise a computer with a central processing unitand in input/output device, which can comprise a disk drive, magnetictape reader, or the like which can store and provide video content forviewing. For example, the input/output device can accept and read acompact flash memory card or other storage device such as a memory chipor stick (e.g., a memory stick which can be inserted into a USB port)which can store and transfer video content. It is understood that thevideo device can comprise one, some or all of the formats discussedabove (e.g., a combination video tape and DVD machine). It is alsounderstood that the video content exhibited by the video device can alsocomprise an audio component.

The video display can be any suitable size which allows for viewing ofthe video content, and can be, for example, about 150 mm in length andabout 150 mm in width. Other sizes for the video display arecontemplated.

The display stand can comprise one or more motion sensors, heat sensors,sound sensors or the like which sense the presence of a consumer in thearea surrounding the display stand. For example, the video device can betriggered to play video content if a consumer walks near the displaystand.

Video content which can be stored and/or broadcast by the video deviceinclude broadcast, cable or satellite TV signals, magnetic tape (e.g.,video tape), digital video disks, laser disks, and computer-readablecodes such as MPEG or “.wav” files, and the like, or any combinationthereof. Video content can be provided to the video device by anysuitable means; for example, by placing a suitable recorded orrecordable medium into the device (e.g., loading a video tape or DVD),or by radio-frequency or other suitable wired or wireless transmission.

The display stand can also comprise a power supply, which can beinternal (for example, a battery or battery pack), external (a plug orother power-transferring lead), or both. Internal power supplies arepreferably re-chargeable. External power supplies can comprise any of aplurality of plug- or lead-types designed to mate with power supplyoutlets in any country. The power supply is operably connected to thevideo device.

Reference to “fastened,” “attached” or the like with respect tocomponents of the display stand means that the components are joinedtogether by any suitable means within the skill in the art; for exampleby screws, bolts, rivets, clamps, welds, friction fits and the like. Inone aspect, the display stand is provided in pre-fabricated componentswhich can be readily assembled at the point of use with minimal tools.

The components of the display stand can be fabricated from any suitablerigid material, such as metal, plastic, wood, cardboard, plasterboard,resin, or combinations thereof, such as are known in the art.

The display stand can be any convenient dimensions, and in one aspect isgenerally rectangular in shape, with the longer side comprising thefront and back portions of the stand. Such dimensioning allows forgreater viewing and access of the displayed product by a consumer. Thedisplay stand is also, for example, of sufficient height to display asuitable number of different products (or a suitable amount of a singleproduct). Suitable dimensions for the display stand include: a height(i.e., bottom to top and not necessarily including casters, if any) ofabout 1500 mm, for example 1450 mm a width of about 600 mm, for exampleabout 580 mm; and a depth (i.e., front to back) of about 400 mm, forexample about 380 mm. The height of the casing and/or video device canbe, for example, about 200 mm or about 150 mm. The distance between thebottom of one support unit and the top of the one below can be anysuitable distance which allows a consumer or retailer ready access tothe product in the product container; for example, this distance can beabout 200 mm, for example about 150 mm. Greater or lesser dimensions forall parts of the display stand are contemplated.

The display stand is used to display one or more products which are, forexample, contained in a carton or other container. The support units ofthe display stand is preferably dimensioned to accept at least oneproduct container, and can optionally accept multiple (e.g., two, three,four, five, six or more) containers side-by-side. The support units arealso preferably dimensioned within the display stand so that displayedproducts can be readily reached by consumers, and the optional slightdownward angle of the support units can cause the products remaining ina container to slide forward and maintain “frontage” for the product.

The display stand can comprise other electronics separate from the videodevice, for example, which produce sound, light or combinations of both.These additional electronics can operate independently from the videodevice, or can be triggered and controlled by signals from the videodevice. The additional electronics can be powered by the same powersupply which is operably connected to the video device, or can run fromone or more additional power supplies which are not necessarilyconnected to the video device.

In one aspect, a display stand is provided, and placed within anestablishment to induce customer to purchase goods by displaying one ormore related products while exhibiting video content that is alsorelated to the product. The establishment can by any retail store,wholesale outlent, restaurant, service provider and the like. Thedisplay stand can be placed anywhere in the establishment that isconvenient and where it can be viewed by consumers entering theestablishment. Display of related products on the display stand, andexhibition of the video content which is related to the products, isdesigned to elicit interest in the products by providing visual andaural stimulation to consumers.

The one or more video devices on the display stand can be positionedsuch that a consumer in proximity of the display stand can readily viewthe video content being exhibited. The products being displayed are alsoreadily viewed and reached by a consumer in proximity of the displaystand.

Products which are “related” or which “relate” to one another are thosewhich have a common characteristic, are contained in packaging with acommon theme, or are otherwise are associated or associable in theperception of a consumer.

For example, products which have a common characteristic can comprise,for example, toys, clothing, footwear, headgear, sporting goods,household goods, kitchenware (including flatware and other eating orserving utensils, and plates, bowls or other crockery), “do-it-yourself”or “DIY” materials (e.g., any materials for home improvement, such astools and other hardware, lumber, paint and paint accessories, flooring,paneling, sheetrock, ceramic tile, and the like) or food such as meats,produce (e.g., fruits and vegetables or combinations thereof) andconfections (including candy, cakes, cookies, gum and the like, orcombinations thereof), or combinations thereof. Products with a commoncharacteristic can also comprise, for example, products with similarpricing, or which have increasingly greater or lesser pricing within acertain price range. Products which are contained in packaging with acommon theme comprise, for example, products which are packaged under acertain brand, trademark or trade dress. It is understood that a“brand,” “trademark” or “trade dress” can comprise a given color scheme,wording, symbols, pictures, recognizable set of characters or settings,or combinations thereof. Products can be otherwise associated orassociable in the mid of a consumer if they are recognized by a consumer(or class of consumers) as being similar in size, shape or value.

Video content which is “related” or which “relate” to products in thedisplay stand includes any content which the consumer recognizes asbeing associated with the products. For example, the video content candiscuss the product features or characteristics, show consumers usingthe products or discussing the products, or compare the products toother competing products. The video content can also comprise charactersor settings which also appear on the product packaging. For example,animated or live-action features (i.e., full-, medium- or short-lengthfeatures) which include the relevant characters or settings can beplayed at various times, in order to induce consumers to come intoproximity of the display stand and become interested in the displayedproducts. The animated or live-action features can also comprise therelevant characters discussing and/or using the displayed products. Inone aspect, the video content can be changed or renewed by the retailerand/or the manufacturer of the display stand.

The video content can be exhibited in continuous loop, at set timeintervals, at random time intervals, and/or when consumers come intoproximity (such as walk by) the display stand. The video content canalso be exhibited by action of the consumer, for example by pressing abutton or speaking a command word (such as “play”). The video content ispreferably designed to catch the attention of consumers and interestthem in the products being displayed.

It is understood that the video content can comprise audio content.Thus, the video content can entice consumers into proximity of thedisplay stand with both visual and aural stimuli. The video content canalso hold consumers in the proximity of the stand once they have beeninitially attracted with both visual and aural stimuli.

The displayed products are placed on the support units of the stand,such that the products can be readily viewed by consumers in proximityof the stand. For example, the products are provided in containers, suchas cartons or boxes, which can be readily opened and placed on thesupport units. In one aspect, the containers are not shrink-wrapped orthe like, but the products inside are individually packaged. Suchcontainers are known in the art, and can comprise cardboard cartons withperforated portions on their top surface. The perforated portions can be“punched-out” and lifted or moved away to reveal individual productpackages contained inside. Both the container and the individual productpackages can be marked with the same or similar brand, trademark ortrade dress to indicate that the products are related. In one aspect,the product containers provided are dimensioned to fit substantiallywithin the dimensions of a support unit, so that the containers can bereadily placed into and removed from the stand.

One or more product containers can be placed on a given support unit.For example, two, three, four, five, six or more containers can beplaced side-by-side on the support units so that the products can bereadily viewed by consumers in proximity of the display stand. Theproducts can be arranged on the various support units of the displaystand in any suitable order or pattern. For example, products can bearranged on the stand in descending order of prices; for example, fromproducts costing fractions of a dollar or euro on the top support units,products costing one to two dollars or euros on the middle supportunits, and products costing two or more dollars or euros on the bottomshelves. Products can also be arranged in ascending order of price.Preferably, products having the same or similar price are displayed onthe same support unit. Other product characteristics can be used toarrange products in the display stand, such as size, color, complexity,popularity among the consuming public, and the like.

In one aspect, a display stand can have eight support units, withproducts arranged by price on each support unit as in Table 1 (withsupport unit “one” being the one closest to the floor, and “eight” beingthe one closest to the top of the display stand). TABLE 1 Exemplaryarrangement of products by price Support Unit Price (in US dollars) One2.00 Two 1.50 Three 1.00 Four 0.75 Five 0.50 Six 0.25 Seven 0.10 Eight0.05

In one aspect, the display stand is provided with, or manufactured for,a given set of products and/or product containers. These products orcontainers can then be readily placed onto the display stand supportunits by the retailer in order to initially set up the display stand.Product containers can also be readily replaced once the product in agiven container is sold out. As described above, the optional downwardangle of the support units will cause the product to slip downward asindividual packages are removed by consumers, thus continuallydisplaying the product for viewing by the consuming public and producingthe perception that the container is full until the product is sold out.In one aspect, the display stand and product containers are dimensionedso that no other product containers fit readily with the display stand.This aspect can be used, for example, to prevent products which are notrelated to each other or to the video content from being displayed onthe stand. In another aspect, display stands can be provided in a givenor standard size, so that the retailer can readily replace a stand whichoccupies a given area with another stand. For example, a display standfrom which all the goods have been sold can be replaced with a new standwhich contains a full complement of goods. In this latter example, thedisplay stands can be made from easily replaceable or disposablematerials such as paper, cardboard or plastic, so that a “used” standcan be readily replaced with another, and the “used” stand can bediscarded or recycled.

The display stand can also be provided with video content related to theproducts. In one aspect, the video device can only receive and playvideo content provided by the manufacturer of the stand. This aspect canbe used, for example, to prevent the exhibition of video content whichis not related to the products being displayed on the stand.

The display stand can also be decorated with signage or other indiciarelated to the displayed products and the video content. “Related” or“relates” with respect to signage or other indicia and displayedproducts or video content has the same meaning as discussed above. Inone aspect, the display stand is provided with signage or other indiciarelated to the products to be displayed and the video content to beexhibited.

Other features can be included on the display stand or productcontainers to facilitate the display of the maximum number of products.For example, product ingredients or warnings related thereto can beprinted or displayed directly on some portion of the display stand, sothat it need not be printed on the product containers. Pricing ofproducts can also be displayed directly on the stand, so that consumerscan readily tell the price of a given product on a support unit. In oneaspect, the prices of product in various currencies can be listed ondifferent stickers or signs that are provided with the display stand orproduct containers, so the retailer can readily choose and display theappropriate price in the appropriate currency on the stand.

While the present invention has been described in connection with theaspects discussed above and the FIGURE, it is to be understood thatother similar aspects may be used, or modifications or additions may bemade to the described aspects for performing the same function of thepresent invention without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the presentinvention should not be limited to any single aspect, but rather shouldbe construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the recitation ofthe appended claims.

1. A display stand for products, comprising a frame comprising at leastone support unit, and at least one video device which exhibits videocontent, and which is positioned on the frame so that it can be viewedby a consumer in proximity of the display stand.
 2. The display stand ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one video device is positionableindependent of the display stand.
 3. The display stand of claim 1,wherein the video content is related to the products being displayed. 4.The display stand of claim 1, wherein the video device is activated bythe proximity of a consumer to the display stand.
 5. The display standof claim 1, wherein the support units are provided at a slight downwardangle relative to the front of the display stand.
 6. A method ofinducing consumers to purchase products, comprising: providing a displaystand of claim 1, which has a plurality of support units; providing aplurality of containers of product; arranging the product containers onthe plurality of support units such that a consumer can readily view theproducts; and exhibiting video content, and wherein products are relatedto each other, and the video content is related to the products.
 7. Themethod of claim 6, wherein the video content plays in a continuous loop.8. The method of claim 6, wherein the video content plays at selected orrandom time intervals.
 9. The method of claim 6, wherein the videocontent comprises characters or settings which are also displayed on theproduct containers.
 10. The method of claim 6, wherein the productcontainers contain individually packaged products, and the video contentcomprises characters or settings which are also displayed on theindividually packaged products.
 11. The method of claim 6, wherein theproduct containers are dimensioned to fit substantially within thesupport units.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least two productcontainers are dimensioned to fit within one support unit.
 13. Themethod of claim 6, wherein the products are displayed on the supportunits in ascending price order.
 14. The method of claim 6, wherein theproducts are displayed on the support units in descending price order.15. The method of claim 6, wherein the display stand further comprisessignage or indicia which is related to the products to be displayed andwhich is related to the video content to be exhibited.
 16. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the display stand further comprises price informationdisplayed on the display stand.
 17. The method of claim 6, wherein thedisplay stand further comprises the ingredients of the products, orwarnings regarding the products, displayed on the display stand.
 18. Themethod of claim 6, wherein the products comprise toys, clothing,footwear, headgear, sporting goods, household goods, kitchenware,do-it-yourself materials, food or combinations thereof.
 19. The methodof claim 19, wherein the food is selected from the group consisting ofmeats, produce and confections.